Flexible ladder



(No Model.)

A. KIRCHHQFP. FLEXIBLE LADDER.

No. 487,393. Patented Dec. 6, 1892..l

.o. E Mw M U W so. ATTORNEY.

4 `NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ADOLF KIRCHHOFF, LONG ISLAND CITY, NEV YORK.

FLEXIBLE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,393, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed February 5 18 92.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLr KrRoHHour, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Astoria, Long Island City, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Ladders, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to flexible ladders, the object being to providea construction whereby the ladder will maintain itself rigid when against a wall and will hold itself at some distance from the wall, so as to facilitate scaling it.

The invention consists in the details of construction, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective View of a portion of the ladder, and Fig. 2 a plan of one of the rungs or steps.

a a represent the ropes or flexible portion of the ladder, and a ahook at the upper end of the same to be used to suspend and support the ladder.

A represents an improved rung or step for the ladder, constituting the main feature of my invention. This rung consists of two transverse strips b b, preferably round in cross-section, placed parallel to each other in a horizontal plane, with sufficient space between them to admit the rope or flexible portion of the ladder. These two pieces,with the space between them, form a broad step upon which the foot may rest when climbing. The ends of these pieces are provided with crossheads b b', to the middle portion of which they are connected. These parts are preferably of wood, and the cross-heads are made heavy and cylindrical in shape and extend equal distances in each direction at right angles to the rope. I prefer to mortise the parts b into the crosseheads; but it is obvious that any kind of connection can be made. The

rope passes between the strips b b just inside of the cross-heads, at which point it is connected with the strips b h by binding-cords or by turns of itself, as may be desired. As it is unnecessary that all the rungs should be Serial No. 420,386. (No model.)

made in this way, I prefer to place them at intervals and make those intervening of the ordinary construction, as shown.

In operation, if the ladder is to be used as a fire-escape or for any purpose where it can be placed against a wall, the hook is caught over any suitable support-such as a windowsill-and theladder dropped down. It makes no difference which side is presented to the Wall, because the construction makesit reversible. The cross-heads of the several rungs immediately drop against the wall and maintain the plane of the rungs several inches from the wall. The two strips b b and the rope passing between them, together with the right-angular position of the cross-heads against the wall, form a kind of rigid platform, which takes the weight of a person using the ladder symmetrically. Tipping of the rung is therefore prevented, thus making the scaling of the ladder a comparatively-easy operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A flexible ladder provided with rungs or steps, consisting of two parallel strips occupying a horizontal plane, in combination with cross-heads applied to the ends of said strips and arranged at right angles to the rope or uprights, said cross-heads extending in both direct-ions beyond the strips, in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. A iieXible ladder provided with rungs or steps, consisting of two parallel strips occupying a horizontal plane, in combination with cross-heads applied to the ends of said strips and arranged at right angles to the rope or uprights, said cross-heads extending in both directions beyond the strips, the line of the rope being in a plane between the parallel strips, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AD OLF KIRCI-II-IOFF.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER, ALFRED E. KORNFELD. 

